Inaugural Post and Inaugural Quilt Market

I have a small gripe. I decided to start a new blog today called Mini Mushroom to match my Etsy shop called minimushroom.etsy.com (which by the way is always empty - my bad).  But somebody had already claimed minimushroom.blogspot.com and of course the blog is empty other than having a completely different title (MrsJ???). After much deliberation about what to do next, I decided to add an 's' to minimushroom. There's a lesson here. Always grab every domain you can as soon as you come up with a name/idea. This isn't the first time I've been burned.

So, I'm Annik (see About Me) and I love fabric way too much. I've been making bags under the moniker "Lemonade Bags" for approaching 5 years, but I learned to sew when I was about 10 or 11 years old. My mom used to make clothes and a million other thing. Her mom was a very talented seamstress and quilter. And boy did she ever love her yard goods!  I wish she were alive today so we could share in this passion, but alas, the best I can do is carry on the tradition.

This past weekend I attended the Spring 2010 International Quilt Market and Festival right here in my home town of Minneapolis. Who comes to Quilt Market? Manufacturers, fabric designers, pattern designers, including clothing and quilts (or course), fabric store owners, bloggers, and the occasional interloper like myself.

So, where to begin?? Maybe with a mention of wonderful women I had the pleasure of meeting at QM. Stefanie of Little Lady Patchwork was my Quilt Market Fairy Godmother. Please check out her blog because her original quilt patterns are GORGEOUS! Stefanie introduced me to Vickie of Sugar Spun Quilts (her blog is full of great Quilt Market photos). She designs for Moda Bake Shop and various quilting magazines. Here's Stefanie with Vickie sitting in a display in the Robert Kaufman booth featuring their new line of organic cotton fabric called Free to Grow.

And here's the very sweet Cara of Quilt Nook Gal Designs. This was her first booth at Quilt Market! Look at her beautiful work. She has patterns for sale here in her online shop.

Finally, a shout out and big thanks to the ladies of the Sample Spree line - Jennifer of Sugar Stitches, Kaye of Miss Print, and Doe, aka Silly lil' Doe. Don't miss their links. Doe's photos of Quilt Market are amazing. I can't believe how lucky I was to meet such a sweet and talented group of women!

Okay, this is officially the longest blot post ever and I haven't eve skimmed the surface.  Tomorrow I'm going to post of photos of some of the fabric designers in attendance. Here's a teaser of what's to come. This is a photo of me with Joel Dewberry. My first thought upon seeing this photo was, I wore THAT?? Oh, well. Too late now...